As a local, woman-owned business, we believe it is important to shine a spotlight on other woman-owned businesses in the area because they add a special value to our community. These women are dedicated to their work and great at what they do. Women supporting women is one of our favorite things. If you are a local, woman-owned business or if you know of one and would like to collaborate on a feature like this in the future, email us at sweetvintagetees@gmail.com.
L’uva Bella Winery
L'uva Bella Winery is owned by third generation winemaker and founder of Red Wine Brands, Marisa Sergi, and her husband Evan Schumann. The mission is simple, to create modern wine brands from the best ingredients for the everyday consumer. The goal is to make wine fun, to make wine approachable, and they are on a mission to make their brands known. The ladies of L'uva Bella understood the assignment, and after lots of hard work, L'uva Bella's brands can be found in most major retailers across 10 states and is continually growing!
Quote: “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no!”
Pictured (from left): Kenna Silvestri-Sales Coordinator, Delanie Bianco-Customer Engagement Manager, Marisa Sergi- Chief Growth Officer, Nicole Brumert- Office Manager
Hot Dog Allie
Hot Dog Allie opened in Austintown in November of 2018. They opened a second location on Route 422 on the strip in Niles (just 1/4 west of the Eastwood Mall) in May of 2021. Alexandria Tonkovich is the owner of Hot Dog Allie. Allie grew up at the Youngstown Crab Co., which was owned and operated by her mom, Sally Grabovac, and her uncle. She started “officially” working there when she was 15. By her senior year in high school with only a few months left to graduate, she was managing on the weekends. She started at YSU, twice, and just couldn’t seem to walk away from her true passion. She was already trained behind the scenes with her mom and uncle for years on business management. She learned scheduling, inventory, purchasing, basic bookkeeping, menu development and most importantly, providing fantastic customer service to guests.
There’s a lot happening this summer at Hot Dog Allie now that they hit their one year anniversary in Niles and 4-year anniversary mark coming up soon in Austintown. They’ve spent much time adapting and evolving due to Covid-19 since it hit shortly after opening the Austintown location. It’s now time to start introducing more full-service menu items and flavors in their quick style setting. Come for some quick, inexpensive eats, or come for some well-prepared more complex items.
Alexandria is a new mom to her daughter, Giavanna, and has 3 rescue dogs - Louie (chihuahua), Shadow (terrier/lab mix) and Blue (blue heeler, australian cattle dog). Her fiance works with her at Hot Dog Allie in management.
For our full menu, please visit our website at www.hotdogallie.com . We hope to see you soon! Much love from the entire Hot Dog Allie family. ❤️
Aisle One Mobile Market & YoursTruly KimJ LTD
Kimberly Johnson is a mother, part-time equipment operator, and a business owner to not just one, but two businesses. As the owner of an event design, planning, and coordinating business, called Yours Truly KimJ LTD, she is already a busy woman. On top of that, Kimberly runs a mobile grocery store called Aisle One Mobile Market. She sets up shop with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, seasonings, and canned goods to help make shopping more accessible. She is a lifelong resident of Youngstown, Ohio where she loves giving back to the community and making it a daily effort to inspire younger black women to live, give, and grow.
AG Beauty
Alex Galantis is the owner of AG Beauty Salon and Spa, located at 137 Lincoln Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio, on YSU’s campus. She has always had a passion for the beauty industry, so at 17 she started her journey by attending Raphael’s School of Beauty in Boardman, Ohio. She graduated from there in 2019 and soon began working as a nail technician, while simultaneously working toward a college degree at Youngstown State University. After lots of encouragement from family, friends and clients she decided to open a salon of her own, in April of 2022. She was 20 years old at the time.
Although it has not been easy, she is grateful for this opportunity and the support that she has been given. She has met so many amazing people along the way, and is very excited to see what the future holds. After graduating this fall, she plans to work full time as a nail technician at AG Beauty, alongside her amazing team of hair stylists, estheticians and nail technicians.
You can follow along on their journey by following them on Instagram @agbeautysalonandspa
Sweet Memories Vintage Tees
Linda Barton (second from left), our founder, has run her own business since she was 24. When the pandemic hit, she had to close her main business that she had run for 20 years. She had to find her new calling in life, and realized that the things she enjoyed most - family, fashion, nostalgia, history, and sweets - could become a part of that new calling.
After hearing that "Good Humor™ Ice Cream" was celebrating their 100 Year Anniversary, she thought it would be cool to design their novelty t-shirt for this historical event. Through the process of designing this shirt, she learned so many fun facts about some of Youngstown's own history - such as Good Humor being founded here in 1920, and the first ice cream trucks coming from Youngstown. This single shirt design had a butterfly effect and helped her get connected to other brands such as Popsicle, Dum Dums, Tootsie, and more. The list of licensed brands that SMVT designs shirts for is growing each day.
When it came to deciding on a charity to donate some of the profits too, it was an obvious choice. When Linda's daughter, Gwen, was younger, she had to spend two weeks in Akron Children's Hospital - a hospital that saved her life.
The goal is to donate $40,000 to Akron Children's Hospital - the price of a bed in the NICU. After only two years, Linda is halfway to this goal.
Linda wears many hats; mom, artist, photographer, business owner, rebel, fighter, hopeless romantic, old school punk, dreamer, and old soul. Along with SMVT's graphic designer, Abbey Hennessey (fourth from left), she has created nearly 100 designs for multiple brands. All of SMVT's shirts are designed and printed locally in Ohio. With the most recent addition of America's Navy, it is clear that there will be many designs to follow as Sweet Memories Vintage Tees continues to grow and give back.
